Using Conceptual Recurrence and Consistency Metrics for Topic Segmentation in Debate

Abstract

We propose a topic segmentation model, CSseg (Conceptual Similarity-segmenter), for debates based on conceptual recurrence and debate consistency metrics. We research whether the conceptual similarity of conceptual recurrence and debate consistency metrics relate to topic segmentation. Conceptual similarity is a similarity between utterances in conceptual recurrence analysis, and debate consistency metrics represent the internal coherence properties that maintain the debate topic in interactions between participants. Based on the research question, CSseg segments transcripts by applying similarity cohesion methods based on conceptual similarities; the topic segmentation is affected by applying weights to conceptual similarities having debate internal consistency properties, including other-continuity, self-continuity, chains of arguments and counterarguments, and the topic guide of moderator. CSseg provides a user-driven topic segmentation by allowing the user to adjust the weights of the similarity cohesion methods and debate consistency metrics. It takes an approach that alleviates the problem whereby each person judges the topic segments differently in debates and multi-party discourse. We implemented the prototype of CSseg by utilizing the Korean TV debate program MBC 100-Minute Debate and analyzed the results by use cases. We compared CSseg and a previous model LCseg (Lexical Cohesion-segmenter) with the evaluation metrics Pk and WD. CSseg had greater performance than LCseg in debates.

Keywords

• topic segmentation
• debate
• visual analytics
• conceptual recurrence plot
• natural language processing
• text mining